AU2007237472B2

AU2007237472B2 - Lamellar ground marking

Info

Publication number: AU2007237472B2
Application number: AU2007237472A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wolfgang Sutter
Original assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG
Current assignee: Lufthansa Technik AG
Priority date: 2006-04-12
Filing date: 2007-04-10
Publication date: 2011-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2027-04-10
Also published as: ES2441792T3; EP1845507A1; CA2646561A1; AU2007237472A2; EP1845507B1; CN101421769A; US20090229510A1; WO2007118641A1; CA2646561C; JP5064488B2; US8037840B2; JP2009533244A; AU2007237472A1

Description

- 1 Lamellar floor marking The invention relates to a lamellar or strip-shaped floor marking, in particular for means of 5 transportation, very particularly for airplanes, having a photoluminescent layer on which covering elements which appear dark in comparison with the luminous layer and which serve as a directional indication are arranged in such a way that acute-angled markings 10 pointing in a direction are formed. It is known to affix lamellar or strip-shaped floor markings having a photoluminescent layer in airplanes. By means of daylight or the illumination in the 15 airplane cabin, the photoluminescent layer is made to glow. This glow continues for a long period of time when the floor marking is no longer being illuminated. In the case of an accident, airplane passengers can orient themselves even in darkness by means of these 20 glowing floor markings. An external illumination, which is complex and fault-prone, is not required. These floor markings indicate escape routes. In this case there are also no particular problems if the 25 airplane, as is conventional, is provided with emergency exits at the front and rear end of the airplane cabin (and usually also over the wings). In that case, it is not necessarily a matter of finding the nearest emergency exit in the case of an accident 30 but rather, led by the glowing floor markings, of following the other passengers to the nearest exit. However, it is a different proposition if the airplane has a so-called "dead end", that is to say if, for example, no emergency exit is provided at the rear end. 35 There is then the danger that in the case of an accident passengers follow the floor markings in the wrong direction, namely to the end of a cabin not provided with an emergency exit. In order to avoid - 2 this, it is known to affix opaque markings in triangular form on the floor markings, the tip of the triangle pointing in the direction of the escape route. Such dark markings can be created by applying a 5 coating, for example. The applied coating on the one hand prevents the photoluminescent layer underneath from being "charged" by incident light. On the other hand, light that is nevertheless emitted therefrom is absorbed by the markings. These markings usually have a 10 distance between them of approximately 50 cm. A closer distance is clearly considered not to be expedient, because in this case there is no longer enough glowing surface of the floor marking available. 15 A problem now occurs if a passenger wishes to observe the marking in order to see in which direction the tip of the triangle is pointing. Due to the darkness, the cone cells of the retina of the eye, which impart color vision and only have a low light sensitivity, do not 20 impart a sense of sight. This is only the case for the rod cells, which are active in the process of seeing light and dark and have a high light sensitivity. However, in the middle of the retina, the fovea, there are no or only very few rod cells which react to low 25 brightness. Thus, if an attempt is made to look at the marking, so that the marking is imaged on the fovea, it is difficult to recognize the marking or it is not seen at all, since the brightness is not sufficient to excite the cone cells arranged in the fovea. This is 30 particularly the case if the fluorescent layer is additionally covered by a film of paint, so that the floor marking no longer glows as brightly. Furthermore, problems occur particularly if the floor markings have been in the dark for an extended period of time, that 35 is to say in the case of night flights or after the first time operation is commenced in the morning. The problems are further exacerbated if the floor markings only have a small width. In this case, the triangles - 3 would have to take up the entire width of the floor marking, so that likewise the recognition of them is worse. 5 However, the abovementioned problems do not only occur in the airplanes mentioned for the explanation, although this case is particularly important. Similar problems can also occur in different means of transportation or dark rooms, for example cinemas. 10 It would be advantageous if, the present invention would create a floor marking of the type mentioned initially which allows a better detection of the direction of escape even in low circumstances. 15 The solution according to embodiments of the invention lies in the fact that the covering elements extend over the entire width of the floor marking and taper on both sides at one of their ends so that a recess bounded by 20 an acute-angled isosceles triangle is formed there, and the covering elements are substantially adjacent to one another, at least in groups, in such a way that the distance between them is smaller than approximately three times their longitudinal extent. 25 According to a first aspect of the invention, the covering elements extend over the entire width of the floor marking. Even in the case of narrower floor markings, the direction-indicating elements are then 30 not that small that recognizing them presents any difficulties. Furthermore, dark triangles, the tips of which show the direction of escape, are not used. Rather, covering elements which taper on both sides at one of their ends so that a recess bounded by an acute 35 angled isosceles triangle is formed there are used. The tip of the triangle, which is intended to show the direction of escape, is thus, in contrast with the prior art, not dark but bright. This alone eases - 4 recognition of the direction of escape. However, in addition to this, the cover are substantially adjacent to one another, at least in groups, in such a way that the distance between them is smaller than approximately 5 three times their longitudinal extent. Thus, if an attempt is made to precisely observe or locate a floor marking, then it is possible that no visible image is obtained in the fovea. However, immediately next to the marking which is being observed there one other 10 markings, which are imaged outside the fovea and can be seen there due to the very high light sensitivity of the rod cells arranged outside the fovea. Experiments have shown that the field of view which is insensitive from an observation height of 1.20 m (if the person is 15 moving through the airplane in a stooped position due to the development of smoke) approximately has an diameter of 200 mm. Directly outside this region, further markings will then be recognizable, so that the direction of the escape route can be recognized. 20 The covering elements may be produced by painting or adhesively bonding corresponding elements as is the case in the prior art. 25 Advantageously, the distance between the covering elements is smaller than or approximately equal to their longitudinal extent. Thus, one the one hand, a plurality of direction-indicating triangles is always visible. In another advantageous embodiment this 30 distance is greater, so that more glowing regions are exposed. The covering elements typically are at least arranged in groups, wherein the distance between the groups, in 35 which the floor marking is glowing evenly, should not be too big. However, in another advantageous embodiment such intermediate distances are avoided by all covers having the same separation.

- 5 At that end at which the covers are not provided with the acute-angled recess, they can be bounded by a straight line, to be precise transverse to the longitudinal direction of the floor marking. This could 5 however mean that there is a certain psychological inhibition threshold, since not only triangles or arrows pointing in the direction of escape are provided, but also transversely running markings. This may be avoided if the covers converge at an acute angle 10 at their other end, that is to say at that end at which they are not provided with the acute-angled recess. In this case, the angles at both ends advantageously have the same size. 15 The covers may then be arranged at such a distance from each other that the arrangement is chosen in such a way that the covers have the same shape, at least within groups, as the uncovered regions of the floor markings. In this manner successive bright and dark arrows which 20 all point in the same direction are obtained. Advantageously, the covering elements have a length which is 2 to 20 times the width of the floor marking. In this case, the isosceles recesses and protrusions 25 expediently have a length which corresponds to half to a quarter of the length of the cover. All these measures on the one hand ensure that, taking the physical and biological conditions of the visual 30 process into account, markings which indicate the direction of escape can be seen in an optimum manner. This does not depend on a thought process; the passenger is automatically led in the direction of the exit, the markings being designed in such a way that 35 they can be seen in an improved manner with aid of the physical and biological visual process.

- 6 Advantageously, the floor marking is covered by a non slip and abrasion-resistant layer. In this case, the film is advantageously colored in order to give the floor marking the color which is particularly suited 5 for its purpose. If a reflective layer is arranged under the luminous layer, then light emitted downward by the luminous layer is also at least partially reflected upward and 10 contributes to the brightness. The floor marking may be attached particularly easily if it is designed to be self-adhesive or provided with a double-sided adhesive tape on its underside. 15 When airplanes are mentioned in the description above, then this is a preferred area of application. However, the floor marking can also be used for different purposes, for example for cinemas, theaters or other 20 means of transportation. The present invention provides in a second aspect lamellar or strip-shaped floor marking, in particular for means of transportation, very particularly for 25 airplanes, having a photoluminescent layer on which covering elements which appear dark in comparison with the luminous layer and which serve as a directional indication are arranged in such a way that markings pointing in a direction are formed, wherein the 30 covering elements extend over the entire width of the floor marking and taper on both sides at one of their ends so that a recess bounded by an isosceles triangle is formed there and the covering elements are substantially adjacent to one another, at least in 35 groups, in such a way that the distance between them is smaller than approximately twice their longitudinal extent, characterized in that the isosceles triangles are acute-angled and in that the covering elements have - 7 a length which is two to twenty times the width of the floor marking. The invention is described in an exemplary manner below 5 on the basis of advantageous embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the floor marking according to an embodiment of the invention in a cross 10 section; Figure 2 shows the floor marking according to an embodiment of the invention in a perspective view with a middle part 15 omitted; and Figures 3 to 7 show different embodiments of the markings by choosing different covering elements. 20 As is shown in figure 1, the floor marking has an adhesive layer 1, by means of which it can be fixed to the floor. A reflective layer 2, which directs light scattered downward by the luminous layer 3 upward, is 25 located above this layer. The covering elements are arranged in a layer 4. The floor marking is covered by means of a non-slip, possibly also colored polycarbonate layer 5. 30 As can be seen from figure 2, the covering elements 6 of the layer 4 merge to a point toward the front and have a corresponding triangular recess toward the back. In the embodiments of figure 3 and 4 the covering 35 elements 6, indeed likewise have a rear triangular recess by means of which glowing arrows of the uncovered regions 7 of the floor marking are created. At their front end, the covers 6 are bounded by a - 8 straight line, so that a picture of an arrow is obtained. In the case of the embodiment of figure 5, 6 and 7 the 5 covers 6 have an acute-angled boundary at both ends. In this case, they are arranged such that alternately a bright roof-shaped element and a dark, similarly roof shaped element are created. In the embodiment of figure 5 a plurality of covers 6 are respectively gathered 10 together in groups 8, whereas in the embodiment of figures 6 and 7 the pattern is uniform over the entire length of the floor marking. In the embodiment of figure 6, the covers have a length which is approximately twice the width, whereas the covers 6 of 15 the embodiment of figure 7 are significantly longer. A floor marking which provides reliable indications of the direction of escape even in the case of floor markings having a narrow width is thus created by the 20 invention. According to embodiments of the invention, it is possible to design the floor markings not with a width of 30 mm, which has been conventional until now, but with a smaller width of, for example, 17 mm.

Claims

1. Lamellar or strip-shaped floor marking, in particular for means of transportation, very 5 particularly for airplanes, having a photoluminescent layer on which covering elements which appear dark in comparison with the luminous layer and which serve as a directional indication are arranged in such a way that markings pointing 10 in a direction are formed, wherein the covering elements extend over the entire width of the floor marking and taper on both sides at one of their ends so that a recess bounded by an isosceles triangle is formed there and the covering elements 15 are substantially adjacent to one another, at least in groups, in such a way that the distance between adjacent covering elements is smaller than approximately twice their longitudinal extent, characterized in that the isosceles triangles are 20 acute-angled and in that the covering elements have a length which is two to twenty times the width of the floor marking.

2. Floor marking according to claim 1, characterized 25 in that the distance between the covering elements is smaller than approximately twice their longitudinal extent.

3. Floor marking according to claim 1, characterized 30 in that the distance between the covering elements is smaller than or approximately equal to their longitudinal extent.

4. Floor marking according to claim 1 or 2, 35 characterized in that the distance between the covering elements is greater than their longitudinal extent. 495080_2 (GHMatters) - 10 5. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that all the covering elements are equidistant.

5

6. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the covering elements converge at an acute angle at their other end.

7. Floor marking according to claim 5, characterized 10 in that the acute angles at both ends have the same size.

8. Floor marking according to claim 6, characterized in that the arrangement is chosen in such a way 15 that the covering elements have the same shape, at least within groups, as the uncovered regions of the floor marking.

9. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 20 8, characterized in that the isosceles recesses and protrusions have a length which corresponds to half to a quarter of the length of the covering elements. 25

10. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is covered by a non slip and abrasion-resistant layer or film.

11. Floor marking according to claims 10, 30 characterized in that the layer or film is colored.

12. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a reflective layer is 35 arranged under the luminous layer. - 11

13. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is designed to be self-adhesive on its underside. 5

14. Floor marking according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is provided with a double-sided adhesive tape on its underside.

15. Floor marking substantially as herein described 10 with reference to one or more of the drawings.